Television

Though I have heard fine arguments against the use of television for various reasons - ranging from its mind numbing effects, to its immoral and materialistic propaganda, to its creation of mass culture - it seems to me that perhaps the most damning of all is the fact that television is an incredibly dull way of wasting time. It can be said that the purpose of television is to avoid doing something worth talking about, in order to watch someone pretend to do something not worth talking about. And though the demise of regular conversation may be an effect of television, I suspect it may in fact be a benefit, given that the only thing more frightfully dull than watching a television show is talking about a television show. In fact, when I find myself cornered in a conversation about television - perhaps who got immunity on last night's show of choice - I find myself desperately wishing for someone to turn on the television, so that the inane drone of dullness can cease and I can escape unnoticed.